Renri or Yan Yat (Chinese: 人日, literally Human Day), refers to the seventh day of the first lunar month in the Chinese calendar. This year’s Renri falls on 29th January which is today.
According to Chinese legends, Nuwa (女媧) was the goddess who created the world. She created the animals on different days. Chickens were created on the first day, dogs on the second day, pigs on the third day, sheep on the fourth day, cows on the fifth day, horses on the sixth day and humans on the seventh day. Humans were created from the mixture of earth and water. Thus the seventh day was the birthday of mankind. To feed mankind, she then created cereal on the eighth day.
If the weather on Renri is fine, it can be forecast that God will grant good luck to all people on earth while rain means a tough year ahead.
Since the first six days of the first lunar month are considered birthdays of different animals, Chinese people avoid killing these animals on their respective birthdays. Prisoners will not be punished on Renri.
To celebrate Renri on the seventh day of Chinese Lunar calendar, a dish of seven types of salad with raw fish called yee sang “Seven-color sliced fish” (七彩魚生) is eaten both at homes or restaurants. Just toss the ingredients with a pair of chopsticks. The higher you toss them, the better luck you will garner. Don’t forget to utter auspicious phases as you toss the yee sang!
So, Happy Birthday to one and all!
初七人日撈魚生慶生日
Another interesting post, Frances
I hope you had a wonderful CNY. Did you go back to Ipoh? I was back for a few days and I thought of you when I passed by your former house 
I also heard something interesting during my trip this time. Not sure if you know or not. The Kong Hing Coffeeshop now has a boutique hotel above it. It is called “Sekeping Kong Hing” and developed by the same people who developed “Sekeping Serendah” resort (http://www.serendah.com) I tried to google for more information but still nothing yet. We wanted to check it out but couldn’t find a parking space that day. Old town was packed to the brim during CNY 
Hi Barb,
Thank you
Yes, I have a wonderful CNY 
I managed to cook a big pot of delicious ingredients for our Reunion Dinner, it was a Hakka dish called “Poon Choy.” My family loved it very much. You know what, I played cards for the first time with relatives and won some money which was later spent on yee sang with them.
Oh yes, I went back to Ipoh for three days and have a good time with my relatives there. Went makan makan with them, Ipoh was awefully jammed with cars and people during CNY. I did not go to old town. It was too difficult to find parking space there. We ate in Ipoh Garden and Pasir Putih areas.
It has been a year since we last went to Kong Hing, so it was a surprise to learn that they have a boutique hotel. Most probably will drop in for a look on our next trip back. I think they got the idea from Malacca nyonya restaurants and hotels. Good for them. And I could see you have a good time too with your family!